Lake Accotink Park
Lake Accotink Park things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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When making plans to come here with my three kids on a Sunday morning in December, I was unaware the playground had been updated. It was a very pleasant surprise when we arrived. At ten am on a mild December day, there was only one other family there and for a good period of time we had the place to ourselves. When we left around noon, it was a popular spot for other families. In regards to the new equipment, I was thrilled to see what had replaced the older playground. My kids are ages 4, 7, and 11. The swingset has two traditional swings, one toddler swing, and one of the newer toddler/parent type swings. There are some game type pieces, and musical equipment, plus a little house/store area. The bigger equipment contains a very large curly tunnel slide and one of those rope climbing structures. There is no smaller tot lot type slides or climbing structures. My older two loved the slide and my 4 year old tried it with them eventually, even though she had reservations. It is totally dark at the top since it is enclosed and fairly long. I'm a big fan of the rope climbing structures for a wider age range, not to mention parent visibility if there are any issues. My 11 year old didn't immediately comment about being bored and spent a lot of time climbing around before our friends joined us. I appreciate playgrounds that engage the older kids like that. One thing I hadn't seen before was the use of light on a playground. There are a few tall pieces with translucent colored panels that filter the light through to the ground when the sun shines through them. One of them will spin if a child turns it. I appreciate this extra dimension to engage the kids on a new level. Since it is winter the closer bathroom and water fountains are closed. The bathroom above the playground is still open, but the water fountains up there are also off. Before we went home, we stopped on the beach to admire all the birds. Geese are common there, but there were also sea gulls and two other types of birds that seemed possibly swan like and perhaps cormorants. The area to the left of the dock is full of trash, as per usual.
Jennifer CoyneJennifer Coyne
00
Today in the morning, I went to Accontik Park on my bicycle as I have always done. When I got there, I went to the public restroom area to stretch, drink water and enter the restroom. Oh surprise when a lady who was doing activities with the children (camp director) tells me that I cannot be in that place, nor use the bathroom, nor surroundings. I ask her why? and she answers me: "are you questioning me? (of course, I need and want to know the reasons why she is expelling me from there, I have not done anything wrong) The truth is that I did not understand why this lady was angry. I told her that I needed to use the bathroom and she replied: "You are not using the bathroom, you are out here talking to people." (What? I mean, is she controlling what I do if I go into the bathroom, or talk to someone?) Well, I went into the bathroom and when I came out she just said: "ok" and kept saying that she was going to call I don't know who or where and he started talking on his cell phone or communication radio. The truth, that was an act that she did to get I was afraid that someone was going to come and thus get me to leave the place. I felt all of this as an act of racism and that she would believe that one does not know her rights in this country. By the way, there were no signs warning that you could not cross into this area because the children were in the shelter. What a bad time this morning. In other past days, the children have been in their activities and no one had told me anything about not using the bathroom or being in that area. I hope that those in charge of this beautiful park and the immediate boss of this lady take action on this matter and call this lady's attention. (I leave a photo of the ladies.)
Blanca ArangoBlanca Arango
30
We went, on our first visit, for the four-mile loop trail around the lake. The eastern half is wet, has extensive views of the neighbors' backyards, and VERY brief glimpses of the lake through the dense undergrowth. It still gets one star just for leading to/from the western half, which provides a pleasant stroll through the woods and deserves perhaps three stars. The trash-laden marina area, bombarded by the loud, obnoxious tunes from the ice cream truck, gets a solid zero for having no charm whatsoever (well, I suppose it might be entertaining for the under-five crowd). If you decide to try the loop trail, go clockwise so that you can see if the section below the dam (see photo) is passable rather than being underwater. We went the other direction, and when we got to the dam had no choice but to take off our shoes and wade through several inches of dirty, fast moving water (ignoring the "trail closed because of high water" sign) because we were too hot & tired for a long alternate route around it. There are a LOT of very nice places to walk in the D.C. area, and over the years we've thoroughly enjoyed most of the many we've tried. At Accotink, we never even took our big cameras out of their bags, and see no reason to ever visit again.
Tom BurkeTom Burke
00
Lake Accotink park in Springfield has a lot to offer. There is a lovely walking path, including an enclosed overpass to look down on the train tracks below. Accessibility note: the path around Lake Accotink has sharp inclines at times, and not all of it is paved. This may make it harder for people like me with mobility issues to navigate. Of course, there is the lake itself, which is bigger than one might imagine. Individuals can rent paddle boats or get kayak lessons. There is wildlife to be seen if one pays attention. (See the turtle and heron pictures…) For families with children, there is a carousel and miniature golf. There are pavilions that one can rent for parties, or other get-togethers, but there are also picnic tables for public use. There was even an ice cream truck near the pavilion while I was there. All in all, a very family-friendly place.
Cheri SandfordCheri Sandford
60
Such a cool community park; grills, picnic tables, a few nice pavilions...plus a mini-golf course, a merry-go-round, kayak and paddle boat rentals in the summer. It's used by the local neighborhoods and extended areas alike. There's a 4-mile trail loop around the lake open to pedestrians and bicyclists (mountain variety is better), and a paved trail that connects the park to Wakefield Park and is part of a larger Fairfax County trail system. Additionally, you can see the still-active railroad bridge across the lake and the dam overflow that feeds into Accotink Creek. The park is dog friendly (on a leash) with trash cans and doggie bag dispensers at a few areas on the trail. Lastly, the dam overflow does often flood over the trail after heavy rain falls, so be cautious when/if crossing.
Rachel BuRachel Bu
30
Lake Accontink Park has lots of trails surrounding a small lake. Note that on the south side of the park next to the dam at the parking lot the connector trail under the dam to the mountain bike trails is closed. This closes off most of the mountain biking trails from the primary parking lot due to construction. You will need to either ride along the paved path on the north east side of the lake or park along a street on the north side of the lake. The forested area to the west of the lake is crisscrossed with multiple mountain bike trails and they cross so much it is a real maze especially with the thick wooded area. The trails are nice but hard to stay on the correct trail as there are so many.
paterjopaterjo
10
Nearby Restaurants Of Lake Accotink Park
Agave Bar Restaurant
Agave Bar Restaurant
4.6
(58)Click for details
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
7500 Accotink Park Rd, Springfield, VA 22150
Map
Phone
(703) 569-3464
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Website
fairfaxcounty.gov
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Reviews
Overview
4.6
(1.1K reviews)
Ratings & Description
outdoor
adventure
family friendly
pet friendly
Description
Lake Accotink is a reservoir in North Springfield in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Lake Accotink is formed by the damming of Accotink Creek. The lake is surrounded by Lake Accotink Park.
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